Some Good News in The Economy in Trucking

Are you tired of reading article after article about how bad the recession is? It’s not only the articles, it’s advertising. Radio, TV, Billboards, and even Internet Advertisers. Everyone in the media writes and talks about the economy and its downslide.

Well, here is an article that is about the light at the end of the tunnel and where you can find a job now.

First, lets look at what’s out there. Job fairs are drawing in thousands of applicants. Take one in Puyallup, Washington. 4,000 people came for 3,000 jobs that were available. Because of this overflow of people needing jobs, the employers have the luxury of being more selective, so not all jobs would be filled. This is happening all over the country right now.

Back to a positive note, there are plenty of jobs in the trucking industry. I have seen a lot of articles about job openings through Truck Driving Schools. CR England truck driving schools, like other schools, have no waiting list. So, if you want to go to school for driving truck, you can do it now, instead of waiting until your number comes up.

A Truck Drivers life is physical, but rewarding. You can see the country and choose life on your own time. Get away from your desk and hit the highway. See the country! Go to school now by applying at: http://www.crengland.com. If you are interested in other CDL jobs, just visit CREngland.com.

Here is a link to the original Puyallup Job fair article posted on thenewstribune.com: http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/843347.html

Tags: jobs, truck_jobs, unemployment
Posted in Truck Driving Jobs | No Comments »

Identifying Sleep Apnea in Truck Drivers

Last fall, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it would like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to start a program helping to identify truck drivers that may by at risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Some steps requested include the following:

• If truck drivers diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea cannot prove by documentation that they have been treated of such, FMCSA could deny medical certification.

• FMCSA would hand out information and guidelines to help the truck drivers, trucking companies, and their medical doctors recognize high-risk candidates.

• I was surprised at the statistics that truck drivers have a 50% statistic of sleep apnea in those who have average body mass index of 40.0 or more; 35.0 and over considered obese.

In fact, a study commissioned by the FMSCA found that 17.6 percent of truckers studied suffered from mild sleep apnea while 5.8 percent had moderate sleep apnea and 4.7 percent had severe conditions.

In reading the letter, it shows there is only one accident mentioned, due to sleep apnea. The driver ran into a highway patrol officer, killing him instantly. Though this is a very sad story, one must ask them self if it is enough documentation to hold back a truck driver’s medical certification because he may be at risk.

The Dangers of Text Messaging on The Road

Truck Drivers who feel safe text messaging while driving may want to read the report from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Virginia Tech Transportation Institute was partially funded by FMCSA to study the amount of time drivers took their eyes from the road to text message, either by sending or receiving.

The study showed a drastic increase above past studies of the same issue. Text messaging is much riskier than a lot of other driving distractions. In fact, Matt Richetel of the New York Times states that the FMCSA reported that truck drivers were 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident if text messaging while driving.

The study was held by video cameras installed in truck cabs for 18 months to monitor drivers as they drove. Results were frightening. The Virginia Tech Institute’s director, Tom Dingus, stated “You should never do this,” he said of text messaging while driving. “It should be illegal.”

The University of Utah conducted a simulation of equipment study for text messaging on truck drivers instead of the real thing and they also came up with some disturbing statistics. They found that those drivers that text messaged were 8 times more likely to cause an accident. Even though the University of Utah’s simulation tests were not as high in accident ratios as that of a monitor in a cab, David Strayer who worked on the testing at U of U feels it is only because real trucks are tougher to maneuver and younger college students are better at multitasking than older drivers on the road. To see the complete NYTIMES article, click here.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/technology/28texting.html?_r=4&hp


Tags: drivingdistractions, textmessagingwhiledriving, TruckDrivingJobs
Posted in Trucking News | 3 Comments »

Tips to Eating Healthy

Do you want to eat healthier on the road? Do you feel like if you eat one more cheeseburger or French fry, you might just quit eating altogether? I know how you feel. EHOW.com has some great steps in finding a healthier lifestyle.

· Step 1

Bring healthy food along. A cooler stocked with bottles of water, fruit, and cut-up veggies can keep you from eating chips, candy and soda on your stops.

· Step 2

When you stop for fast food, look for a healthier restaurant option. For example, it might be easier for you to find healthier meals at fast food restaurants such as Subway than a place that only sells greasy burgers and fries.

· Step 3

No matter where you stop for meals, choose healthy foods. Salads, grilled chicken and fish, or broth-based soups are good choices. For breakfast, go with an egg white omelet or oatmeal.

· Step 4

Drink plenty of water. Not only is it much healthier than soft drinks, it will help you to feel full longer as well. You might have to make more "pit stops" along the way, but half the fun of a road trip is seeing the different little towns along the way.

· Step 5

Don't snack for fun. Take in the scenery, enjoy your companions' company, or play license plate bingo. While you probably won't remember what you ate for lunch, you will always be able to recall the fun, silly times you had.

Eating on the road is tough when you are health oriented. But maybe these steps can help you.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2284087_eat-healthy-road-trip.html

Bad Economy, Doesn’t Matter

Found in the archives from August of 2009, there was an article called “Get these Jobs Now” in the Timeout Chicago. It still relates today because trucking jobs are still hot on the list of jobs available in today’s economy.

The article itself gives a laundry list of careers available in today’s weak economy, including Truck Driving jobs. It included other careers as well like Certified Nurse’s Assistant and Security Guards. The Truck Driving summary describes the pros and cons of the lifestyle. But it also emphasized the fact that there will always be a need for truck drivers. Read their summary below and see what I mean:

If you love hitting the open road, get trucking. “It’s a good career; we’ll always need trucks to deliver things to stores—you can’t have a plane pull up to Target and unload,” says Eddie Boik, a truck driver for fund-raising company Market Day and a truck-driving instructor for Mega Driving School (6105 W Belmont Ave, 773-804-0500).
Skills needed Not prone to road rage, responsible, clean driving record
Requirements 21 years old (for interstate travel), must pass a Department of Transportation drug test and physical, a valid Illinois driver’s license for light trucks and a commercial driver’s license for heavier loads
Starting salary $29,653 (heavy and tractor trailer), $18,851 (light/delivery services)
Pros “You don’t have a boss hovering over you,” Boik says. “You’re independent out there.” And the trucker’s hat will be the real deal.
Cons “There’s long hours and you’re away from home a lot,” Boik says. “It’s a major responsibility to drive a truck that’s 26,000 pounds empty, because you not only can hurt someone, you can kill someone.”

If you are looking to become a Truck Driver, click on http://www.CREngland.com. CR England is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Smart Way Transport Partner.

http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/careers/77436/get-these-jobs-now

Unemployed Turning To Well-Paying Trucking Jobs

Last fall, Portland News had an article about the income that can be made through driving a truck, quoting $40,000 yearly right off the bat. With the diverse workforce looking for jobs, changing careers is an option for many people.

Take Kelly Lovering (age 27) of Portsmouth, OR. She was quoted as saying, “I used to work for the Department of Corrections. I got laid-off in January, so I searched for six months to find a job and couldn’t find anything. So, I was like, ‘Well, I’ll do something different.’ So, I decided to come take lessons and learn to drive a truck,” she said.

Lovering is halfway through the her course. Trucking is almost a recession-proof job. For lovering she has a lot to look forward to. According to the article she has just four to six weeks of training, and after that she is done and should yield a starting salary of $40,000 a year.

The article grabbed our attention because it brough up the issue of aware ness. Not everyone knows that with a few months of traii9ng you can have a great career. The article makes the point when discussing the pay in the industry, “Where?’ you might ask? Behind the wheel of a big-rig,” said Lovering.

Trucking Jobs are certainly available at CR England and training positions can pay up to $85,000. CDL training enrollment for many schools has increased during these recessionary times, but good quality truck drivers have always been in high demand. The fact is that there are driving jobs available. In fact CR England Guarantees their students a job!

The complete original article can be found at wmtc.com: http://www.wmtw.com/news/20295797/detail.html. No author was mentioned.

Tags: cdltraining, WMTW.com
Posted in Truck Driving Jobs | 1 Comment »

Pros and Cons of Electronic Logs

Last October of 2009, Schneider Trucking announced their involvement with electronic logs. Paper logbooks are being replaced by instant network communication. With digital scanning in cabs for over a decade, you have to ask yourself what took so long?

Schneider National Trucking Company is hopeful that efficiency will go up and accidents will go down. I’m excited to look in October of 2010 and see their progress and how successful they will be.

The days of falsifying hours on the road may be coming to an end. The digital logs will make it harder to be dishonest. Those drivers who get paid by the mile instead of the hour are resisting the technology change. According to JSOnline.com’s article, Trucking firms flip on digital logbooks”, those drivers that are more prone to be dishonest, they are nervous that they will lose some income and extra time at home.

Others are concerned that electronic logs will bring the trucking industry more government regulation. The fear of big brother watching over you is heightened among some people. But only time will tell on this question.

There is also the question of unforeseen circumstances. A good example is running into traffic 3 or 4 miles away from a delivery. Does the driver have the option of finishing the run or does he pull over? These are questions that must be resolved to make it successful.

The pros of electronic logs are better productivity. Truck Drivers let the dispatchers take care of load assignments, giving them more time to drive. Planners also have the luxury of seeing the available hours of the drivers, creating more organized game plans for the road.